Friday, July 31, 2009

Preparations for the Building of the Temple1 Chronicles 22:2-5 & 17-19

Materials gathered2 David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. 3 David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, 4 and cedar logs without number-for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. 5 For David said, 'My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, famous, and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.' So David provided materials in great quantity before his death....

The leaders charged to help17 David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, 18'Is not the Lord your God with you?' Has he not given you peace on every side? For he delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people. 19Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord.'

2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;The Lord hears when I call to Him.

4 Tremble, and do not sin;Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,And trust in the Lord.

6 Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!7 You have put gladness in my heart,More than when their grain and new wine abound.

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;The Lord hears when I call to Him.

4 Tremble, and do not sin;Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,And trust in the Lord.

6 Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!7 You have put gladness in my heart,More than when their grain and new wine abound.

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep,For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

1 Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;the faithful have disappeared from humankind.2 They utter lies to each other;with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,the tongue that makes great boasts,4 those who say, "With our tongues we will prevail;our lips are our own-who is our master?"

5 'Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,I will now rise up," says the Lord;"I will place them in safety for which they long."6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,silver refined in a furnace on the ground,purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will protect us;you will guard us from this generation forever.8 On every side the wicked prowl,as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Friday, July 10, 2009

1 Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;the faithful have disappeared from humankind.2 They utter lies to each other;with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,the tongue that makes great boasts,4 those who say, "With our tongues we will prevail;our lips are our own-who is our master?"

5 'Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,I will now rise up," says the Lord;"I will place them in safety for which they long."6 The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,silver refined in a furnace on the ground,purified seven times.

7 You, O Lord, will protect us;you will guard us from this generation forever.8 On every side the wicked prowl,as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.